Method and device for mounting letters to a support



D. R. HAYES 2,447,011

DEVICE FOR MOUNTING LETTERS TO A SU Filed Oct. 19,

PPORT 1945 Aug. 17, 1948.

METHOD AND F/G-Z.

Patented Aug. 17, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD AND DEVICE FOR MOUNTING LETTERS TO A SUPPORT (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

10 Claims.

amended April 30, 1

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to methods and apparatus for the easy production of posters, charts, signs, etc., and more particularly to methods and devices for easily and quickly applying letters or symbols and the like to a backing or support.

Mechanical devices for lettering are wellknown in the art and are useful for lettering up to a size of approximately of an inch. For lettering larger than this size, the mechanical devices known to the art become unwieldly and unsatisfactory as well as slow and cumbersome in use. Furthermore, the prior art devices require that the lettering be set up and composed upon the sheet or backing upon which the letters or symbols are to appear. lhe prior art devices are not helpful when fast production combined with neatness is required of large size lettering. My method and apparatus for the application of lettering and symbols will obviate the foregoing disadvantages of the prior art devices.

It is an object of my invention to provide a method and apparatus for the application of letters or symbols to a backing that will produce a professional appearance when done by unskilled persons.

It is another object of my invention to provide a device that will quickly enable unskilled persons to easily and quickly produce posters or diagrams from cut-out letters or symbols so that the finished product will present a professional appearance.

It is still another object of my invention toprovide methods and apparatus for applying letters and symbols to a backing in which the letters and symbols may be set up and prepared at a location difierent from that of the backing upon which the lettering is to appear.

It is still another object of my invention to provide methods and apparatus for applying letters and symbols to a backing in which quick centering of each line of copy is facilitated.

The above and other advantages will become readily apparent when the following specification is read in conjunction with the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a cross section along the line AA of Figure 1.

Referring to Figure 1, it is seen that the reference numeral I0 refers to an elongated com- Cir posing member on which a guide rod I! and a guide rod l2 are rigidly mounted to extend perpendicularly from the inner side of the member H3 and a short distance from each end thereof.

A second elongated composing member 13 of similar size. and shape as the lower composing member ii! is slidably mounted upon the guide rods I! and I2 so that the spacing between the two composing elements Iii and 53 may be changed as desired while maintaining the two composing elements parallel. The guide rods I I and 12 may be marked with suitable indicia so that the spacing between the two composing elements l!) and 13 for letters of various sizes may be easily and quickly accomplished.

The upper composing member l3 has mounted on each end thereof a swivel bracket M and a swivel bracket 45 on which is mounted a pivoted arm l5 and H respectively. A slender cylindrical-shaped electrically heated rod IE to which is connected a cable 19 is mounted upon the pivoted arms !6 and I1.

The inner side of each of the members Ill and I facing each other is provided with a narow elongated slot 20 and 29a respectively of shallow depth as clearly shown in Figure 2. The lower lip bordering each of the slots 26 and 26a is so formed that it extends beyond the upper lip bordering these slots. The lower lip is preferably narrow so that the slots 26 and 2M are positioned only a short distance above the bottom of each of the members H3 and I3.

The cut-out letters or symbols 2| which are to be used with my invention have been treated previously on the reverse side thereof with a suitable heat sensitive adhesive.

In. carrying out my invention, the letters or symbols 2! that are necessary to make up the sign or :chart are chosen. The composing members Hi and L? are then spaced a proper distance apart for the letter size being used by either observing the indicia on the guide rods II or I 2 or by estimating the distance by eye. Each letter or symbol 2! is then picked up and placed so that it bridges the gap between the two composing members H] and IS. A slight pressure is then applied to the center of each letter so that the top and bottom edges of the letter will then snap into the slots 29 and 2 Ga respectively. The spacing between the two composing elements H3 and I3 is chosen for each size letter so that there will be a slight bowing or concavity in each letter when the ends thereof are situated in the slots 20 and 20a.

The lower lip bordering each of the slots 20 and 20a extends beyond the upper lip and is also quite narrow so that the letter or symbol 2| is only a short distance above the backing or support when the letters or symbols 2| are slipped into place into the composing members. The foregoing operations may be performed with the composing members upon the permanent backing, or, upon any other support and then moved to the backing upon which the symbols or letters are to appear, after the foregoing steps are completed. At this point the heated rod i8 is swung forwardly and downwardly so that it presses the bowed portion of the letters or symbols 2! against the support or backing member. The heat and pressure from the rod 3 causes the adhesive on the back of the 15 letters or symbols 2| to become plastic and causes the letters to adhere to the backing or support to a degree sufiicient to tack them thereto. The rod I8 is then swung upwardly out of contact with the letters, and the two elongated elements it and I3 are separated leaving the letters or symbols 2i tacked to the support or backing. A heated pressure plate or iron is then placed over the letters or symbols 2| to securely fasten them to the backing.

The composing of the lines which are to form the sign or chart may be done at any desired location and when such letters or symbols are alined and held in the composing members it! and 13, the entire device then may be lifted up and moved to another location and placed upon the backing or support to which it is desired to attach the letters or symbols.

If desired, the letters or symbols 2i may be coated on the reverse side with an adhesive that is pressure sensitive only, so that the rod !8 will not require heating. In this modification it will only be necessary to compose the line of letters and symbols as explained above, swing the unheated pressure rod i8 downwardly upon the bowed portion of the letters or symbols to tack them to the support, remove the composing device, and then apply pressure to the entire area of the letters.

It is thus seen that I have devised a method and apparatus for the quick and easy production of charts, signs and the like which enables an unskilled person to turn out work of professional appearance. Other changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A method for applying separate symbols, letters and the like which are coated on one side with adhesive to a backing member, the steps comprising, composing a line of symbols, positioning said line of symbols above said backing, applying heat and pressure to said line of symbols along the longitudinal axis of said line of symbols so that said symbols bov. downwardly and are tacked to said backing surface, removing the heat and pressure from said longitudinal axis, and applying heat and pressure to the entire area of said symbols whereby they adhere tightly to said backing.

2. A method for applying separate symbols, letters and the like which are coated on one side with adhesive to a backing member, the steps comprising, composing a line of symbols at one location, moving said line of symbols to another location, applying heat and pressure to said line of symbols along the longitudinal axis of said,

line of symbols whereby said symbols are tacked to said backing surface, removing the heat and 5 3. A method for applying separate symbols,

letters, and the like which are coated on one side with a pressure sensitive adhesive to a backing member, the steps comprising, composing a line of symbols, applying pressure to said line of symbols along the longitudinal axis of said line of symbols whereby said symbols are tacked to the backing surface along said longitudinal axis, removing the pressure from said longitudi- ,nal axis and applying pressure to the entire area of said symbols whereby they adhere tightly to the said backing.

4. A method for applying separate symbols, letters, and the like which are coated on one side with a pressure sensitive adhesive to a backing member, the steps comprising, composing a line of symbols at one location, moving said line of symbols to another location, applying pressure to said line of symbols along the longitudinal axis of said line of symbols whereby said symbols are tacked to said backing surface along said longi- 5. A method for applying separate symbols,

letters and the like which are coated on one side with adhesive to a backing member, the steps comprising,- composing a line of symbols, maintaining the ends of each symbol under compression, applying heat and pressure to said line of symbols along the longitudinal axis of said line of symbols whereby said symbols are tacked to said backing surface along said longitudinal axis, removing the heat and pressure from said longitudinal axis, and applying heat and pressure to the entire area of said symbols whereby they adhere tightly to said backing.

6. In a device of the class described, a first elongated composing member, a second elongated 15 composing member parallel to said first composing member and mounted for movement to and from said first composing member, a rod pivotally connected to said second composing member adapted for swinging movement about the longi- (tudinal axis of said second composing member,

and means for heating said rod.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination comprising a first composing member having a longitudinal groove along an inner face thereof, a second composing member having a longitudinal groove thereon facing said first member, means for mounting said second composing member for movement to and from said first composing member, a rod pivotally mounted on said (50 second composing member adapted for swinging movement about the longitudinal axis of said second composing member, and means for heating said rod.

8. In a lettering device, the combination com- 6 prising a first elongated composing member, a

second elongated composing member, guide means mounted on said first mentioned composing member for guiding the movement of said second composing member, and heated means pivotally connected to said second composing member for swinging movement about the longitudinal axis of said second composing member.

9. In a lettering device, the combination comprising a first composing member having a longitudinal groove along an inner face thereof, a

pair of guide rods extending perpendicularly from the inner face of said first composing member, a second composing member slidably mounted on said guide rods, a longitudinal groove along the inner face of said second composing member facing said first composing member, and a pressure rod pivotally mounted on said second composing member.

10. In a lettering device, the combination comprising a first composing member having a longitudinal groove along an inner face thereof, a pair of guide rods extending perpendicularly from said inner face of said first composing member, a second composing member slidably mounted on said guide rods, a longitudinal groove along the inner face of each of said composing members, said grooves being spaced closer to the bottom of said composing members than from the top thereof, and pressure means pivotally mounted on said second composing member.

DOUGLASS R. HAYES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

